Asian Cup : Aussie Football, A-League Australia

Asian Cup

The Asian Cup is one of the largest sports events in the world. The tournament, which is Asia’s equivalent every four years of Euro, draws an international broadcast audience of more than a billion people!

The final in 2004 was beamed to 120 countries and watched by 450 million viewers just in Asia making it the biggest single TV event in the Asian sporting calendar and Japan's top rating program in 2004.

With Australia's switch from Oceania into the AFC Champions League, the game's potential has exploded in Australia also. The Socceroos' participation in the 2007 Asian Cup brings with it genuine interest in regional competition for the first time. A-League clubs being guaranteed two berths in the 2007 AFC Champions League will really push forward the domestic competition to qualify for these spots.

Straight off the back of next year's Asian Cup there's the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and then the World Cup 2010 Asian qualifying rounds that will provide plenty football action!